Want to slash your risk of everyday health problems such as migraine headaches, colds and flu and slow-heating wounds, as well as big medical problems including heart disease, cancer and dimming vision? Skip the pharmacy - and visit your local farmer's market instead.
'Eating lots of fruit, vegetables and legumes - foods high in antioxidant and other phytochemicals - is the cornerstone of the diets of healthy, long-lived populations around the world,' says Dr Willcox. 'It's one reason their rates for heart disease and many concerns are so low. When we compared the Okinawa diet to the typical Japanese diet, we found that Okinawans ate so much of these foods that they had three times the recommended levels of vitamin C, almost double the vitamin E, and their antioxidant intake was really high, too. So were calcium, magnesium and phosphorous - important for bone health and high blood pressure prevention. It's the power of good carbohydrates.'
A glass of red grape juice at breakfast, a big spinach-and-bean salad at lunch and a fruit salad after dinner provide immediate gratification, too. In one Australian study of 453 women and men aged 70 and older, those who ate the most healthy foods had the fewest signs of wrinkles. Treating yourself to the hundreds of disease-fighting compounds found only in plant foods boosts immunity, speeds wound-healing, and cuts your odds of everyday annoyances such as easy bruising, nosebleeds, yeast infections, haemorrhoids, gout and attacks of asthma caused by physical activity. At work are thousands of beneficial compounds collectively known as phytochemicals. Among the best known are antioxidants, which protect cells from damage by free radicals (notice how often these rogue oxygen molecules are mentioned?). As we've discussed, free radicals damage cell membranes as well as the DNA that encodes the cell's operating instructions. Free radical damage has been linked to many major diseases. What neutralises them best? Antioxidants found in plant-based foods.
Other important phytochemicals include:
So eating small amounts of dark chocolate is probably a heart-healthy habit - as long as you don't eat too much and avoid milk chocolate, which is high in fat with fewer of the beneficial nutrients of dark chocolate. Pair your chocolate with the right red wine (read on for our own full-life wine list) or a steaming cup of tea for even more phytochemical prowess.
TRUE SUPERFOODS
Low in calories, high in satisfaction and simply delicious (who can say no to a perfectly ripe peach in summer or a steaming bowl of bean soup on a snowy winter evening?), fruits, vegetables and legumes - beans, peas, soya beans, peanuts and lentils - deserve a starring role on your plate. Eat them to your heart's content, suggests Dr Willcox, one of the lead researchers for the Okinawa Longevity Study. 'I never limit [fresh] produce or legumes,' he says. 'When I'm hungry, I'll have some ripe pineapple or strawberries. I don't count my servings of legumes, either. They're higher in calories but so satisfying that you really can't overdo it, as long as you watch the added fat.'
This is a vital point, worth reiterating. As long as you don't use lots of oil or high-calorie add-ins, you can healthily eat as much fruit, vegetables and beans as you like. The exceptions are people who have diabetes or are prone to big blood sugar wings; then sweet fruits should be eaten in moderation.
Beans in particular are antioxidant superstars. When researchers analysed the antioxidant concentrations in more than 100 foods, small red beans came in first, followed by red kidney beans and pinto beans in second and third place, respectively. And as you'll discover later on, beans are packed with fibre and are a terrific source of protein. No single food can help you to fulfil the full-life eating guidelines as well as beans.
But let's not undersell vegetables. You can't go wrong if you shop in season. Just-ripe fruit and veg have the highest levels of vitamins and antioxidants; levels decline as fresh produce sits on the shelf. And don't assume that raw is better than cooked. Some phytochemicals are actually more available for absorption when veggies are processed, such as the prostate-protecting lycopene in tomato sauce and the carotenoids in lightly steamed spinach and carrots.
But you don't have to shy away from convenience products, either. Look for prepackaged, single-serving bags of baby carrots or raisins, precut melon chunks or fruit salads - and don't forget all the salad stuff easily selected from the deli counter.
Beans in particular are antioxidant superstars
Smart Ways
TO EAT MORE Beans
FULL-LIFE EATING GOAL: at least five servings a week
Make beans your main ingredient on Tuesdays and Thursdays For those who don't eat beans that often. it's hard to think up many interesting meals in which beans are the star. But a glance at a bean cookbook will be a revelation. Beans are the successful centerpiece of many stews, soups, cassoulets, wholemeal salads and even sandwich spreads. Find a few recipes and give them a try.
Always have beans on hand Your cupboard should contain a large assortment of beans canned in water (no salt) and plenty more dried beans for overnight soaking and cooking. Both are healthy, but dried beans have more crunch
Great combinations
Not sure which bean's best? Try these flavour suggestions.
Black beans: great with brown rice and in Mexican dishes.
Black-eyed peas: good in casseroles and curies or paired with ham and rice.
Chickpeas: toss into minestrone or mash with garlic and a touch of sesame seed paste (tahini) for a classic hummous dip.
Broad (fava) beans: add to stews or serve alone as a side dish.
Butter (lima) beans: good to mix with canned baked beans or add to salads.
Haricot beans: stir into soups.
Pinto beans: pair with rice
Red beans and kidney beans: good in three-bean salads, chilli and other spicy dishes.
White beans (cannellini): delicious in chicken broth-based soups.
and texture. We suggest using dried beans when you're cooking a bean dish from scratch (change the water before simmering to remove indigestible sugars that cause bloating and embrassing personal gas!). Remember that kidney beans and soya beans must be boiled for sometime to remove toxins - always follow the instructions on the packet. Canned beans are great for mixing into other types of dishes.
Add beans to everyday dishes Beans go well in rice dishes and even better in soups. They work fine
in pasta sauces and add texture to roasts. Every time you cook a dish, ask yourself, 'Can I add some beans to this?'
Make dips and spreads No need to keep their original form. Blend with herbs, garlic, olive oil or other flavourings and use as dips for vegetables , spreads for sandwiches or hors d'oeuvres.
Mix plain canned beans with baked beans The tasty sauce in canned baked beans is full of sugar and calories. Keep the taste and lose some of the sugar by mixing in small red beans or kidney beans. Serve at lunch with a low-fat sandwich or whole-grain toast.
Make this marvellous lunch Just toss together black beans, baby spinach, mandarin orange sections and spicy vinaigrette. Add other high-antioxidant veggies left over from last night's dinner, such as steamed broccoli.
Use beans as a garnish Keep chickpeas in a sealed bowl in the refrigerator and put it on the table at every meal. Get in the habit of adding a few to your salads, vegetables or pasta. Or just nibble on them as you would if a bowl of olives or almonds were on the table.
'Eating lots of fruit, vegetables and legumes - foods high in antioxidant and other phytochemicals - is the cornerstone of the diets of healthy, long-lived populations around the world,' says Dr Willcox. 'It's one reason their rates for heart disease and many concerns are so low. When we compared the Okinawa diet to the typical Japanese diet, we found that Okinawans ate so much of these foods that they had three times the recommended levels of vitamin C, almost double the vitamin E, and their antioxidant intake was really high, too. So were calcium, magnesium and phosphorous - important for bone health and high blood pressure prevention. It's the power of good carbohydrates.'
A glass of red grape juice at breakfast, a big spinach-and-bean salad at lunch and a fruit salad after dinner provide immediate gratification, too. In one Australian study of 453 women and men aged 70 and older, those who ate the most healthy foods had the fewest signs of wrinkles. Treating yourself to the hundreds of disease-fighting compounds found only in plant foods boosts immunity, speeds wound-healing, and cuts your odds of everyday annoyances such as easy bruising, nosebleeds, yeast infections, haemorrhoids, gout and attacks of asthma caused by physical activity. At work are thousands of beneficial compounds collectively known as phytochemicals. Among the best known are antioxidants, which protect cells from damage by free radicals (notice how often these rogue oxygen molecules are mentioned?). As we've discussed, free radicals damage cell membranes as well as the DNA that encodes the cell's operating instructions. Free radical damage has been linked to many major diseases. What neutralises them best? Antioxidants found in plant-based foods.
Other important phytochemicals include:
- Carotenoids that help cells to communicate better (possibly cutting cancer risk)
- Lutein, zeaxanthin and other compounds that act almost like sunglasses to protect your eyes from vision-robbing sun damage
- Flavonoids that can attack invading viruses and bacteria
- Building blocks for vitamin A that improve immunity by promoting the growth of the thymus gland, bolstering the functioning of white blood cells and keeping the delicate tissues inside your mouth and nose strong to deter disease-causing invaders better.
So eating small amounts of dark chocolate is probably a heart-healthy habit - as long as you don't eat too much and avoid milk chocolate, which is high in fat with fewer of the beneficial nutrients of dark chocolate. Pair your chocolate with the right red wine (read on for our own full-life wine list) or a steaming cup of tea for even more phytochemical prowess.
TRUE SUPERFOODS
Low in calories, high in satisfaction and simply delicious (who can say no to a perfectly ripe peach in summer or a steaming bowl of bean soup on a snowy winter evening?), fruits, vegetables and legumes - beans, peas, soya beans, peanuts and lentils - deserve a starring role on your plate. Eat them to your heart's content, suggests Dr Willcox, one of the lead researchers for the Okinawa Longevity Study. 'I never limit [fresh] produce or legumes,' he says. 'When I'm hungry, I'll have some ripe pineapple or strawberries. I don't count my servings of legumes, either. They're higher in calories but so satisfying that you really can't overdo it, as long as you watch the added fat.'
This is a vital point, worth reiterating. As long as you don't use lots of oil or high-calorie add-ins, you can healthily eat as much fruit, vegetables and beans as you like. The exceptions are people who have diabetes or are prone to big blood sugar wings; then sweet fruits should be eaten in moderation.
Beans in particular are antioxidant superstars. When researchers analysed the antioxidant concentrations in more than 100 foods, small red beans came in first, followed by red kidney beans and pinto beans in second and third place, respectively. And as you'll discover later on, beans are packed with fibre and are a terrific source of protein. No single food can help you to fulfil the full-life eating guidelines as well as beans.
But let's not undersell vegetables. You can't go wrong if you shop in season. Just-ripe fruit and veg have the highest levels of vitamins and antioxidants; levels decline as fresh produce sits on the shelf. And don't assume that raw is better than cooked. Some phytochemicals are actually more available for absorption when veggies are processed, such as the prostate-protecting lycopene in tomato sauce and the carotenoids in lightly steamed spinach and carrots.
But you don't have to shy away from convenience products, either. Look for prepackaged, single-serving bags of baby carrots or raisins, precut melon chunks or fruit salads - and don't forget all the salad stuff easily selected from the deli counter.
Beans in particular are antioxidant superstars
Smart Ways
TO EAT MORE Beans
FULL-LIFE EATING GOAL: at least five servings a week
Make beans your main ingredient on Tuesdays and Thursdays For those who don't eat beans that often. it's hard to think up many interesting meals in which beans are the star. But a glance at a bean cookbook will be a revelation. Beans are the successful centerpiece of many stews, soups, cassoulets, wholemeal salads and even sandwich spreads. Find a few recipes and give them a try.
Always have beans on hand Your cupboard should contain a large assortment of beans canned in water (no salt) and plenty more dried beans for overnight soaking and cooking. Both are healthy, but dried beans have more crunch
Great combinations
Not sure which bean's best? Try these flavour suggestions.
Black beans: great with brown rice and in Mexican dishes.
Black-eyed peas: good in casseroles and curies or paired with ham and rice.
Chickpeas: toss into minestrone or mash with garlic and a touch of sesame seed paste (tahini) for a classic hummous dip.
Broad (fava) beans: add to stews or serve alone as a side dish.
Butter (lima) beans: good to mix with canned baked beans or add to salads.
Haricot beans: stir into soups.
Pinto beans: pair with rice
Red beans and kidney beans: good in three-bean salads, chilli and other spicy dishes.
White beans (cannellini): delicious in chicken broth-based soups.
and texture. We suggest using dried beans when you're cooking a bean dish from scratch (change the water before simmering to remove indigestible sugars that cause bloating and embrassing personal gas!). Remember that kidney beans and soya beans must be boiled for sometime to remove toxins - always follow the instructions on the packet. Canned beans are great for mixing into other types of dishes.
Add beans to everyday dishes Beans go well in rice dishes and even better in soups. They work fine
in pasta sauces and add texture to roasts. Every time you cook a dish, ask yourself, 'Can I add some beans to this?'
Make dips and spreads No need to keep their original form. Blend with herbs, garlic, olive oil or other flavourings and use as dips for vegetables , spreads for sandwiches or hors d'oeuvres.
Mix plain canned beans with baked beans The tasty sauce in canned baked beans is full of sugar and calories. Keep the taste and lose some of the sugar by mixing in small red beans or kidney beans. Serve at lunch with a low-fat sandwich or whole-grain toast.
Make this marvellous lunch Just toss together black beans, baby spinach, mandarin orange sections and spicy vinaigrette. Add other high-antioxidant veggies left over from last night's dinner, such as steamed broccoli.
Use beans as a garnish Keep chickpeas in a sealed bowl in the refrigerator and put it on the table at every meal. Get in the habit of adding a few to your salads, vegetables or pasta. Or just nibble on them as you would if a bowl of olives or almonds were on the table.
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